The Grove Report

Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart Among Highest-Graded Returning SEC Starters

Pro Football Focus recently released grades for returning SEC quarterbacks and Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart is in the upper echelon.

Ben King

OXFORD, Miss. -- Ole Miss Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart has been graded as one of the five best returning signal callers in the Southeastern Conference, according to Pro Football Focus. PFF released rankings for the best returning SEC starters on Thursday morning, and Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart came in at No. 3 with a grade of 79.5. 

PFF grades are determined on a play-by-play basis, and posit how much an individual player "contributes to production" on every snap.

Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback KJ Jefferson is No. 1 in the rankings with a 90.8 PFF grade, followed by LSU Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels with an 88.6. Florida Gators quarterback Graham Mertz has a 75.3 at No. 4, and Missouri Tigers quarterback Brady Cook is No. 5 with an even 75.0.

Going into spring practices, Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin brought in extra competition for Dart in former transfer quarterbacks Spencer Sanders and Walker Howard. Dart used the added competition to improve his game this offseason and made it through spring football throwing only one interception, looking more composed in the pocket, and refined as a passer in the 2023 Grove Bowl.

While Kiffin has plenty of time before officially naming a starter, it appears that Dart is pulling away in the Ole Miss quarterback competition. If Dart shows the type of second-year improvement that former Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral did under Kiffin, the Rebels could very well end up with the No. 1 returning starter in the SEC by the time the season ends.

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Ben King
BEN KING

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